From the outside, it’s easy to dismiss Lucky Dragon as nothing more than a Chinese buffet.

But Lucky Dragon is the opposite of a buffet operation. It’s a full-service restaurant, nicely
decorated, with white tablecloths on its tables and a large menu.

Each item on the menu is spelled out in Chinese as well as in English. The range is vast, from
old-time Chinese-American (egg foo young, wor sue gai, sweet-and-sour pork) to dishes designed to
appeal to people raised in Chinese cultures (deep-fried intestines, salted fish and eggplant in a
clay pot, beef stomach with spicy sauce).

Passing references to other Asian cuisines are made, such as the Vietnamese fresh spring rolls
($3 for two). Thick with rice noodles, they have a welcome smattering of two or three thin slices
of shrimp, one small slice of pork and several leaves of Asian basil.

Reducing the amount of rice noodles would provide a semblance of balance. More herbs, such as
red or green shiso, would also be a big plus.

Sea scallops (black pepper scallop, $13.95) are given an interesting treatment. They are coated
with a thick batter and stir-fried with blanched broccoli, then finished in a light, starchy sauce
seasoned simply with finely ground black pepper.

It’s difficult for the scallops to maintain their crisp fried exterior, but the
deep-fried-seafood flavor is pleasant. Blanching the broccoli before frying lets the vegetable be
almost perfectly cooked.

Lucky Dragon has an unusual version of stuffed eggplant ($11.95) made by cutting the Asian
eggplant in slices and using them to sandwich a “cake” of garlicky ground shrimp.

The sandwiches are stir-fried until the eggplant is soft and creamy, and served in a thick, dark
sauce.

The base of the excellent beef stew in clay pot ($10.95) is slightly larger than bite-size
pieces of stewing beef, cooked for a long time in star anise, lemon grass, garlic, onions and a
touch of ginger until the meat is tender and its juices are thickened. A slim bit of fat is
attached to each piece of the beef to help tenderize the meat as it cooks.

The attractive and flavorful clams with black-bean sauce ($10.95) includes small, fresh-tasting
cooked clams that are served in the shell, seasoned and warmed with black beans, garlic, lemon
grass, ginger and hot pepper. A sprinkling of spring onion is added when served.

The vegetable selection is unusually good. The choi sum (garlic tong sum choi, $10.95) benefits
from simple stir-frying that preserves the flavor and the bright-green color of the vegetable. Best
described as having the leaves of spinach and the stalks of broccoli, choi sum is similar to bok
choy.

The mild flavor is enhanced with a judicious use of garlic slices. The vegetable is served with
the pan sauce.

Also well-handled is Chinese broccoli ($8.95), cooked to preserve the deep-green color and
flavor and finished in a neutral oil with enough garlic to achieve a good flavor.

Entrees come with a choice of decent boiled rice or stir-fried rice. The latter is rich with
oil, as in most traditional Chinese-American stir-fried rice.